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Advice on climber and willow screen
Hi there. I was wandering if anyone out there could give me some advice. I want to grow a virginia creeper on my fence but I really like the willow screen on the fence as well.(see photos). Now do you think it would be possible to grow the climber through the willow screen. My main concern is that if the willow screen needs replacing after a few years it will ruin the climber or do you think it'll all take care of itself like nature usually does.
Any ideas? How often do you need to replace the willow screen. Many thanks for your help. Clifford
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We bought something like to go round our oil tank, it started to break down after about 18 months, we bought another to replace it which we left for awhile till the old ones had broken down a bit more, when we came to use it, it had already rotted, not the wood, but the wire holding it together.
Maybe plant a climber that benefits from a good cut down each Spring, like a Jackmanii clematis, then if you need to replace the fencing the plant's already down.
Hi cstonenw5 - I had willow screening over a few years in my small garden. It was really to give some privacy as our garden and neighbouring ones have the original 100 year old iron spike fencing which sits on top of little 1foot high stone walling. They're a lovely 100 year-old feature still in situ - but the space between the fencing spikes was almost a foot. Cats and dogs could come through them into everyone's gardens and of course there was an open view. I used expanding trellis (which looks lovely) for most of the garden but had willow screen for the areas where neighbours tend to sit and I didn't want to be looking at them all the time through the fence.
The willow screen was good in that respect - for privacy - but in it's third year it was covered in coral spot and had to be removed as it was spreading from the screen to everything else. The wire holding the screen together was quite rusty having been subjected to all weathers for three years and bits began to snap off it very easily. It ended up looking a real mess. I didn't have anything climbing up it or attached to it because it seemed there wasn't enough air to circulate - the expending trellis and other trellis was much healthier and for me was better value for money and a more pleasing look.
That's only my own experience with willow screening. Others may have treated theirs with something and had a better use of it. I never treated mine with anything. However, it was the cheap option I needed at the time so it did a service. I haven't bought it since though.
O.K. Many thanks for your advice. I might just try it with a less vigourous climber.
Clifford